


Save it for a Rainy Day

by MillenialButch



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Johnlock - Freeform, Johnlock Fluff, Johnlock Gift Exchange, JohnlockChallenges Exchange, M/M, Smutty, Tumblr: johnlockchallenges, Tumblr: pleasesherlockforme, Valentine Art Exchange, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-16
Updated: 2014-02-16
Packaged: 2018-01-12 15:59:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1191081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MillenialButch/pseuds/MillenialButch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A fluffy Johnlock fic written by SexyFeminist for tumblr user PleaseSherlockForMe, and their prompt: “Sherlock and John play operation. John fails miserably at it, and Sherlock teases him about what a horrible doctor he is”, as a part of  JohnlockChallenges’ 2014 Valentine’s Day gift exchange.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Save it for a Rainy Day

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger Warning: very minor homophobia, some swearing, some mentions of sex.
> 
> Beta: Naria_Nexis (http://clockworkfandoms.tumblr.com/)  
> Make sure you check her writing out on AO3, and her tumblr blog too!

Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket

Never let it fade away

Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket

Save it for a rainy day

-Perry Como “Catch a Falling Star”

John was exhausted as he stood in front of the mirror, brushing his teeth for bed. He’d been running around with Sherlock all evening in the pouring rain, trying to catch the last member of a Canadian drug ring that was disguised as a hockey team.  He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.  “ _Whoops, gotta put this on the charger_ ” he thought.  He pulled it out and saw that it was an extreme weather alert.  It read: “ _Due to the dangerously high water levels of the river Thames, a severe flood warning has been issued for your location.  It will remain in effect until 3:00 on Saturday, February 15th.  All businesses and schools are closed. Seek high ground and stay inside, unless absolutely necessary_ ”. John put the phone back in his pocket and spit out the toothpaste. He then gurgled some water before spitting that out too.

****

“ _Well there goes our Valentine’s Day plans!_ ” John thought, upset, “ _I ought to ask Mrs. Hudson if she’d like to sleep in my old bedroom upstairs tonight, can’t have her sleeping on the ground floor_ ”.

 

* * *

 

****

After convincing Mrs. Hudson to sleep upstairs and making her bed, John walked down the stairs, listening to the rain pour outside.  He put his phone on the cell phone charger in the kitchen, then walked into their bedroom. He was about to tell Sherlock about the flood warning, but to his surprise, his husband was already sound asleep, curled up in a pretzel of long limbs and dark, curly hair. Soundlessly, John changed into his pajamas.  He smiled as he laid down on his side of the bed.  He turned off the alarm clock on his nightstand, since John no longer needed to go to work the next day, and Sherlock was obviously exhausted and in need of sleep. He then snuggled under the blankets, curling his body around his husband protectively.  He kissed the back of Sherlock’s neck, secretly happy that he managed to be the big spoon tonight.

 

* * *

 

****

John woke up at about 9:00, but Sherlock was still sleeping.  John tried to get his arm out from underneath Sherlock without waking him, but as soon as his arm was free, Sherlock turned around sleepily to face John, then stretched his long limbs like a cat that just got done taking a nap by the window.

“G’morn’n” Sherlock said, groggily, “what time is it?”.

****

John looked over at the alarm clock. “It’s 9:18.  But don’t worry, I don’t have to go into work today”.

****

“Oh… mkay… why not?”, Sherlock asked, more awake now.

****

“There’s been a severe flood warning, we aren’t supposed to leave the house. Mrs. Hudson is sleeping in my old bedroom so she doesn’t have to sleep on the ground floor.  Oh, and happy Valentine’s day!” John leaned over and kissed Sherlock on the cheek.

****

“Ah, okay. And it’s Valentine’s Day? I hadn’t noticed it was approaching. It’s a stupid commercial holiday created to sell overpriced flowers and chocolates, no wonder I deleted the date”.

****

“Shut up, Sherlock, you’re such a liar.  I saw the roses on the kitchen table when we got home” John teased Sherlock, playfully pushing Sherlock over, onto his back. He then proceeded to climb on top of Sherlock and snog him goodmorning.

 

* * *

 

****

Eventually they went into the kitchen for breakfast, where they found Mrs. Hudson had left four heart-shaped raspberry pancakes for them, and a note that read: “Happy valentines day, boys!  First Valentine’s day as a married couple! I remember my first Valentines day married to Frank like it was just yesterday… Anyways, thanks for letting me stay in the empty bedroom.  I’ll be at Mrs. Turners if you need anything. I’ll be back around noon, so any particularly ‘noisy’ Valentine’s day ‘activities’ should be over by then. I made you pancakes for breakfast, but only because it’s a special day and there is a flood, don’t go expecting pancakes every day.  Remember, I’m not your housekeeper!  Oh, and John? Please make Sherlock eat something, he’s looking awfully thin. Sincerely, Mrs. Hudson”.

****

John ate three pancakes with copious amounts of strawberry jam on top, and forced Sherlock to eat the fourth one, which he grudgingly ate without any toppings.

****

John had a little bit of jam stuck on the right corner of his mouth, so Sherlock decided to lick it off, which led to snogging, which led to touching, which led to sex that left both of them extremely satisfied… and in need of a shower. Sherlock took a shower first, during which John put their dirty sheets in the washer. John took a shower next, and after he got out he asked Sherlock what he wanted to do next. “We could play chess?” Sherlock suggested.

****

“Sorry, I think I let that woman I dated who worked at Starbucks borrow your chess set for a party or something, and she never gave it back.  I’d rather just buy you a new set than see her again, I’m pretty sure we ended badly, plus I can’t even remember her name” John said in reply.

****

“Natasha, her name was Natasha, and she worked at Caribou, not Starbucks.  As I recall, you were telling her about your family, and when you told her about Harry and her divorce with Clara she turned out to be a major homophobe.  She called you a ‘queer lover’, walked out of the restaurant, and never spoke to you again.  Is that correct?” Sherlock said.

****

John just stared wide-eyed at his husband before finally saying: “I suppose I am a ‘queer lover’, but I’m _your_ ‘queer lover’, aren’t I?” John said with a grin, “I had no idea you were the jealous type, Sherlock”. John winked.

****

“Who says I’m the jealous type? Where’d you get that idea?” Sherlock said, becoming playfully defensive.

****

“You choose not to remember that the earth revolves around the sun, but yet you remember everything about my exes.  That has ‘jealousy’ written all over it” John said, smiling.

****

“Oh hey what were we talking about again? My chess set, right? That’s fine, we can get a new one.  That set was wearing down anyways”. Sherlock said.

****

John rolled his eyes. He knew that Sherlock was trying to change the subject, but in all honesty, he didn’t really care.  “We could play checkers?” John began, “But only if we play strip checkers.  Each time you get a piece captured you take off an article of clothing”.

****

Now it was Sherlock’s turn to roll his eyes.  “Mrs. Hudson could come back from Mrs. Turner’s at any second, besides, it’s the middle of winter” Sherlock said. He paused for a minute, smiled to himself, and continued: “Let’s play Operation instead, as a doctor you ought to be really good at it”.

****

John looked at Sherlock. Sherlock seemed to have this devilish look in his eyes, but John dismissed it as Sherlock just being really competitive.

****

“Fine, you’re right, strip checkers will have to wait for another day. We will be playing it someday though, mark my words, because its an awesome idea. Anyways, I didn’t know we owned a game of Operation. I’d love to play it, though”.

****

“Great, so that’s _finally_ decided then. But the game needs new batteries. Go get two double A’s” Sherlock said, and John looked at Sherlock expectantly, “Okay, fine, would you please go get two double A batteries?  I’ll get the game out and set it up”.

 

* * *

 

****

When John returned with two AA batteries, Sherlock was sitting on the left side of the couch, waiting, with all 13 plastic pieces in a pile by the side, the screw from the battery holder cover unscrewed, and both bad batteries removed. John sat down on the sofa, next to him. He handed Sherlock the batteries, who put them in, screwed the cover back on, and turned it rightside up with ease.

****

Sherlock looked at John and asked: “How would you like to play the game? With the _Doctor_ and _Specialist_ cards, or just take turns trying for any random piece?”

****

“What cards? I don’t remember there being any cards in this game”.

****

“Yes, there are two types of cards, the _Doctor_ cards and the _Specialist_ cards. You evenly distribute the _Specialist_ cards, which have the various ailments on them, among the players at the start of the game, so that each player is a ‘specialist’ at removing the various ailments that are-” Sherlock began, before John cut him off.

****

“It doesn’t matter, lets just play it the original way” John interrupted, becoming aggravated.

****

“This _is_ the original way to play, John, the game has _always_ been played this way” Sherlock said, rolling his eyes, “But we can play a _modified, simpler_ version if you wish”.

****

“Okay. Good. Alright then”. John said, sighing.

****

After they put the plastic shapes in their respective holes, they flipped a coin for who went first, Sherlock won.  He got this determined look on his face as he pulled out the bucket for ‘Water on the Knee’, which he managed to do successfully (and rather gracefully, in John’s opinion).  He handed John the tweezers.

****

John turned his focus to the game, and with the precision of a seasoned doctor, he began to pull the ‘Adam’s Apple’ out of ‘Cavity Sam’.  It was almost out and then-

****

_**BUZZZZZZ!!!** _

****

John cringed. “Ugh, I swore I had it. Your turn” John said, handing the tweezers off to Sherlock, who took out Cavity Sam’s ‘Writer’s Cramp’ with ease.

****

“Based on the placement and size of Sam’s hand cramp, it is impossible that he got that cramp from writing. He definitely got that cramp from gripping a long object, but that object definitely wasn’t a pencil” Sherlock deduced with a devilish grin.

****

“Then how’d he get it?” John asked. Then it dawned on him what Sherlock was implying, and he bursted out laughing. “Oh my god Sherlock, you are such a wanker!”

****

“I’m pretty sure that I am not the wanker here” Sherlock said, looking down at Cavity Sam suspiciously. That comment just sent John into another fit of giggles, which Sherlock joined in as well. After they both calmed down, John took the tweezers from Sherlock. He began looking for a piece to try for.

****

“Wow Sherlock, you’ve got quite the…”

****

_**BUZZZZZZ!!!** _

****

“... _Funny bone_ ” John said with a sigh.  He handed the tweezers to Sherlock.

****

Sherlock looked at him quizzically until he noticed that ‘Funny Bone’ was the piece John was trying to get. “Oh, I see. I love you, John, but your jokes are terrible” Sherlock said with a chuckle.

****

“Despite how terrible they are, they still manage to make you, of all people, laugh, so I suppose they aren’t as bad as you say they are”.

“I only laugh because it’s you saying them. You’re really not all that _humerus_ ” Sherlock said, pulling out the funny bone piece and putting it in a pile with his two other plastic pieces. He then handed the tweezers to John, who was shaking his head.

****

“At least I can come up with my own jokes, you just repeated mine! Maybe the world’s only consulting detective isn’t as clever as we thought!” John said, causing Sherlock to give him the death glare. John continued: “Oh, I’m just kidding, I’m sure you were just having a _brain freeze_ , that’s all”. John then hastily attempted to get the ‘Brain Freeze’ piece out, but just like his previous attempts, his turn ended with a:

****

_**BUZZZZZZ!!!** _

****

“Why am I suddenly so bad at this game? I used to beat Harriet all the time when we were kids, why can’t I do it now?” John said, passing the tweezers to Sherlock.

****

“I’m sure it’s just because you are playing against me, I must be giving you _butterflies in your stomach_ ” Sherlock said with a smirk, pulling out the white plastic butterfly and placing it in his ever-growing pile of plastic white pieces. John took the tweezers from Sherlock. And by take the tweezers it was more passive-aggressively ripping them from the long, pale fingers of Sherlock’s right hand.

****

“ _He’s got four, John. You’ve got none. He needs three more in order to win. You are a doctor, he is not. Pull yourself together and win this_ ” John thought.  His eyes zeroed in on ‘Wrenched Ankle’. He breathed a minute sigh of relief as he began pulling the piece out, believing he had done it successfully, but alas, he was mistaken.

****__ ** **

****_**BUZZZZZZ!!!** _ ** **

 

 

 

“Goddamnit! This game is so stupid, why did I ever decide to play it?” John exclaimed.

****

“Wow, John. This game is really aggravating you, isn’t it?” Sherlock said, pulling out the old rubber band from ‘Ankle-bone Connected to the Kneebone’ and dropping it in his hand. He put the tweezers down, stretched the rubber band for a few inches between his hands, then continued: “It sounds like you’re about to _snap_ ”. At the word ‘snap’, he released his grip of the rubber band in his left hand, causing the left end of the rubber band to come flying, attacking his right hand with an almost painful force.

****

All of John’s annoyance towards the game transferred to annoyance towards Sherlock. “ _Goddamnit, Sherlock is such a cock-faced bastard_ ” He thought, glaring at Sherlock.

****

Sherlock smirked at his husband’s expression. That was the last straw.  John shoved Sherlock playfully, perhaps a little too hard, because Sherlock’s face went flying into the pillow on the end of the sofa.

****

_**BUZZZZZZ!!!**_

****

John looked at the tweezers. They weren’t on the Operation board, they were exactly where Sherlock had set them. Sherlock may be a detective, but John was no regular dummy. John knew how the game worked, he knew that it needed to complete an electrical circuit with the tweezers in order to buzz and glow red.  There was no way it could’ve completed a circuit, the coffee table was made out of wood.  He looked at Sherlock, who was trying to get himself up again really awkwardly, using only his right hand to push himself up. His left hand was clenched in an oddly shaped fist.

****

“Sherlock, let me see your hand” John said, in an amused tone, having figured what all this was about.

****

“Let me get up first, gosh” Sherlock said. Once he managed to sit upright, he handed John his right hand. “Why on earth do you want to see my hand?” Sherlock asked, sounding annoyed, but John could tell that Sherlock was hiding something.

****

“No, your other hand” John said.

****

“John, I’m wearing my wedding ring if that’s what you’re wondering”.

****

“Let. Me see. Your left. Hand” John said slowly, in almost a tiger-like growl.

****

Reluctantly, Sherlock showed John the top of his left hand. John flipped Sherlock’s hand over, and gasped at what he saw.

****

Taped to Sherlock’s hand was a little black box with a red button, which John pressed.

****

_**BUZZZZZZ!!!** _

****

He looked up and met Sherlock’s eyes. Sherlock looked like a little kid who had been caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar. John just smiled and shook his head.

****

“You slimy little bastard” John uttered. Sherlock began laughing hysterically.

****

When Sherlock finally managed to calm down, John asked “How on earth did you make that little device in the 5 minutes or so I spent looking for batteries?”

****

“I didn’t. I already had it, it was in the box. I knew it was in there, thats why I sent you to go look for batteries before I opened it. The batteries worked just fine before, I just needed a distraction. I used it a few years ago to trick Mycroft. That’s why I never suggested we play it, it was rigged with remote control so it would only beep when I pressed the button”.

****

John imagined Mycroft being just as annoyed with the game as he was minutes prior, and he started laughing too. “Did it work? Your prank on Mycroft, I mean. You obviously managed to fool me, of course”.

****

“It worked exceedingly well.  When we were little, Mycroft and I used to play Operation all the time.  He was exceedingly good at it, and he would always win, and the rub it in my face. It annoyed me so much.  He was so much better at it than I was that he used the word ‘Operation’ as a codeword for ‘tone down your ego, Sherlock’. To this day he still has no idea that I tricked him. He hasn’t suggested we play it since”.

****

That sent John into rounds of laughter again. “How’d you learn how to do that? I didn’t know you knew how to do that sort of stuff” John said.

****

“I don’t. Greg showed me. He wanted me to tone Mycroft’s ego down almost as much as I did.  I can’t believe he managed not to spill the beans. I suppose he IS a DI after all, thats part of his job” Sherlock remarked.

  
“God, I love you” John said, planting a chaste kiss upon Sherlock’s lips.  Then he turned his head and whispered in Sherlock’s ear: “Oh, and speaking of hitting buttons that make men buzz and turn red, I am going to take you, William Sherlock Scott Holmes-Watson, to bed”. Sherlock giggled and whispered in John’s ear: “Well I guess the rain won’t be the only thing getting things sopping wet this afternoon”. Then he took his husband’s hand and led him off to bed.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading it! hope you liked it!


End file.
